Lightning Hazards to Aircraft Fuel Tanks

Description

Note presenting an investigation of the hazards of lightning strikes to aircraft fuel tanks in a specially constructed facility meant to duplicate natural lightning discharges on aircraft. Explosion studies were made in an environmental explosion chamber using small fuel tanks under various simulated flight conditions. The results showed that there is a primary hazard whenever there is direct puncture of the fuel-tank wall, whereas the ignition of fuel by hot spots on tank walls due to lightning strikes is unlikely.

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Description

Note presenting an investigation of the hazards of lightning strikes to aircraft fuel tanks in a specially constructed facility meant to duplicate natural lightning discharges on aircraft. Explosion studies were made in an environmental explosion chamber using small fuel tanks under various simulated flight conditions. The results showed that there is a primary hazard whenever there is direct puncture of the fuel-tank wall, whereas the ignition of fuel by hot spots on tank walls due to lightning strikes is unlikely.

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This report is part of the following collections of related materials.

National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Collection

The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a U.S. federal agency founded on March 3, 1915 to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958 the agency was dissolved, and its assets and personnel transferred to the newly created National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Technical Report Archive and Image Library

This selection of materials from the Technical Report Archive and Image Library (TRAIL) includes hard-to-find reports published by various government agencies. The technical publications contain reports, images, and technical descriptions of research performed for U.S. government agencies. Topics range from mining, desalination, and radiation to broader physics, biology, and chemistry studies. Some reports include maps, foldouts, blueprints, and other oversize materials.